Lee County’s First Homicide Of The Year

UPDATE: Woman charged in Lee County murder

LEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A Mooreville woman is charged with first degree murder in connection with Lee County’s first homicide of the new year.

Sheriff Jim Johnson says the first sign of trouble at this trailer on County Road 1451 came in the form of a 911 hangup call.

Deputies were able to trace the call to 1830 CR 1451, when they arrived, they found more signs of a crime.

“With snow on the ground they approached the house and noticed a large blood stain area at the front door outside the residence on a deck area,” Sheriff Johnson said.

Deputies entered the trailer. On a couch they found a man, identified as 60 year old Bobby Ray Smith, with a fatal gunshot wound to his head. Nearby on another couch, 55 year old Judy Smith, with an apparent self inflicted gunshot wound to her head. She was alive and taken to NMMC, and later transported to the Med in Memphis.

Sheriff Johnson says a .22 caliber rifle was found, along with two shell casings. He says Judy Smith talked to investigators at the hospital, and told them she shot her husband, then turned the gun on herself.

“We do believe this is an isolated incident, there is no one else involved, community in no longer of a threat in regards to this situation, as well as there is no evidence the male victim did anything to provoke or cause this incident and injury that happened to him,” Johnson said.

Lisa Wood lives down the road from the Smiths. She says there was never any hint of trouble from the husband and wife, whom she says lived quiet lives.

“When I found out, it was a shock because they are really good people, you never would have dreamed, think anything about that, they get along very well, they never fought, something that is shocking,” Wood said.

Sheriff Johnson says Judy Smith has no prior criminal record.